Grate-fender.



. PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

E. 0. DIGKERSON GRATE FENDER. APPLICATION Hum ran. 18. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

wii zsszs Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

ERNESTO. DICKERSON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

GRATE-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,657, dated A g 30, 1904.

Application filed February 18, 1904. Serial No. 194.276. (No model.)

To cbZZ whmn it may concern.-

My invention relates to fenders designed for i use in connection with the grates of stoves or the like for closing the front of the grate to prevent escape of fuel or ashes therefrom, and

I has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character which may be readily adjusted to accord with grates of varying sizes, whereby the device is adapted especially for repairing grates whose fenders have bent out, been broken, or otherwise become defective and useless.

A further object of the invention is to provide said fender with a door pivoted in a simple manner to the fender and adapted for ready operation to permit access to the contents of the grate, said door being provided with an improved latching device whereby it is normally maintained in closed locked position.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of aportion of a stove, showing my device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the fender removed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a portion of the fender. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the latch.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of a stove, 2 a grate mounted therein, and 3 a fender arranged at the front of the latter to prevent escape of fuel or ashes therefrom. These parts, with the exception of the fender, may be of the usual or any preferred construction and material.

The fender 3 consists of a cast-metal plateway a series of transverse grooves or notches 6, while the lower portion of .the fender has extending transversely thereof for about half its width and from its lower edge upward a series of slots or recesses 7 spaced one from another in a direction longitudinally of the fender to produce depending bars or fingers 8, also provided each with a plurality of grooves or notches 9, arranged parallel with therlongitudinal axis of the fender. Attention is here directed to the fact that the grooves or notches 5, 6, and 9 permit of portions or sections of the fender being readily broken off for varying the size'of the latter to accord with the size of the grate with which it is to be employed, as will be readily understood. A pair of the bars or fingers 8, disposed, respectively, on opposite sides of the doorway 4, are made of greater length than the remaining fingers and are provided each with a pair of verticallyspaced collars or abutments 10, the fingers being peripherally grooved or notched, as at 11, immediately above each of the collars. These elongated fingers serve for engagement with suitable openings or seats provided in either the bottom of the stove or the front base-bar of the grate for supporting the fender in position, and when so engaged the collars or abutments 1O serve to engage the surrounding surface and limit the entrance of the fingers into their respective seats, while the grooves 11 permit of the one or both of the abutments being broken off to adjust the length of the fingers for engagement with one or the other of the above-named parts or as circumstances may require.

The opening or doorway 4:, which is normally closed by a door 12, is provided in one of its side bars 13 with a latch-socket 14 and upon its other side bar 15*with a pair of cooperating semicircular lugs 16, constituting a lower hinge member or seat in vertical alinement with and suitably spaced from an upper hinge member or seat 17 in the form of a semicircular lug provided on the rear face of the fender and preferably formed integral therewith in line with the top edge of the doorway 4;, the fender being provided with a recess 18, leading from its front face to the lug or seat 1'7. The seats l6 17 are adapted to receive, respectively, the opposite ends of a cylindrical hinge member or pintle 19, mo vided on the adjacent end of the door 12,

while upon the opposite end of the latter there is provided a fixed latching member or car 20, designed to register with the socket 14, the lower end of the car 20 being recessed, as at 21, for engagement with a keeper 22, formed 10 by and constituting the lower edge of the socket 14.

Formed or otherwise provided on the side bar 13, at the inner face of the fender and above the latch-socket 14, is an inwardly-projecting finger or stop 23, adapted for contact with the inner face of the door 12 to limit the inward movement of the latter and bring the parts in proper alinement for the latch to engage with its keeper 22. In practice when 20 it is desired to have access to the interior of the grate for any purpose the door 12 may be released by slightly raising its outer end to disengage the latch from the keeper,when

the door may be readily swung on its pivot 5 to open position.

3 tact with stop-finger 23.

The door 12 is also provided with a series of slots 25,corrcsponding to slots 7 and spaced one from another to produce bars or lingers 26, which are grooved or notched, as at 2'7,

to admit of portions being broken oli" and. re-

moved for varying the size of the door to accord with that of the fender.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in View; but it is to be understood that 1. do not wish to limit myself to the details herein set forth inasmuch as minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the fender instead of being straight and flat, as herein shown, may be curved either longitudinally or transversely, or both, to accord with the formation of the fenders originally employed in the stove and for which my fender may be substituted in effecting repairs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A fender having a pair of elongated engaging fingers adapted to enter seats for sustaining the fender in position and each having a plurality of abutments spaced one from another longitudinally of the lingers, said fingers being each provided with a fracturing groove or notch adjacent to one of its abutments.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST C. DICKERSON.

Witnesses:

CnAs..P. SMITH, CnAs. (J. SMITH. 

